Hotplate - December 2022

HOUSEKEEPING AWARDS

NEW 2023 AWARDS LAUNCHED

PLUS HOSPITALITY EXCHANGE PHOTOS

SPRING TNI CAMPAIGN

MEMBER NEWS

ECONOMICS

HOUSEKEEPING AWARDS HOSPITALITY EXCHANGE

OUR NEW HOUSEKEEPING AWARDS ARE BACK FOR 2023. FIND OUT MORE AND ENTER NOW.

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Throughout this Hotplate you will see advertisements from our Trade Members. Each of these companies supports the Federation and helps us to provide our services to you.

Please support them whenever you can. Thank you.

SOME PHOTOS FROM OCTOBER’S EVENT

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MEMBER NEWS

Celebrations and refurbishments from members across the country.

P. 6, 9 & 15

TOURISM NEWS

New TNI Campaign for Spring 2023 and increased Minimum Wage rates.

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MEMBER LUNCH

Photos from the recent member lunch held in the Dunadry Hotel and Gardens.

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HOUSEKEEPING TRAINING

New courses from Mary Hall this January.

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HOTPLATE

Northern Ireland Hotels Federation

The McCune Building, 1 Shore Road

Belfast BT15 3PG

Tel: 028 9077 6635 Web: nihf.co.uk

Email: office@nihf.co.uk

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Iwas delighted to be elected President of the Northern Ireland Hotels Federation in October and thank you to everyone who has passed on their good wishes at Hospitality Exchange and who have reached out to me since. I would like to thank my predecessor, Stephen Meldrum for all his encouragement and the NIHF board for their support.

I am honoured to take on the role and look forward to representing the sector over the next two years. It’s also a first for the Federation, as my father Eugene was the sixth president, and I am delighted to follow in his footsteps taking up the reins as the twelfth president of the organisation.

It’s been a big year for me as I married my wife Samantha over the summer, moved into a new home and saw the sector return to full opening after the pandemic. As Christmas approaches it’s another big milestone for the sector and a time when we welcome guests, help families celebrate and mark an important holiday season. It is also a time to look back on the last year and reflect on the challenges we faced and the opportunities that the new year may bring.

People have been a huge focus over the last year and will continue to be an area that I will focus on in my presidency. I am keen to present the hotel industry that I know: a sector that offers opportunity, creates employment, and has flexibility for those wishing to find a new career or work part-time to accommodate other commitments. The possibilities are endless, and it is possible to progress on a career path which allows you to run and operate your own business in a relatively short timeframe.

I have a great example in my father who started work as a teenager in Corr’s Corner, went onto open his own restaurant and then bought Corr’s, added rooms, and turned it into his first hotel. Today our family owns five hotel properties, employing 300 people, and as a forward-thinking family business, we are keen to highlight the advantages of working in the hotel industry and dispel some of the myths on its limitations. I would ask everyone who is involved in the industry to do the same and change how the industry is viewed.

I realise that we are in unchartered waters with pressures on margin, increased costs, and economic uncertainty but I hope that by working closely with each other and

DIARY DATES - EARLY SPRING 2023

17th-18th January

Housekeeping Training

Maldron Hotel Belfast

1st February

Housekeeping Assessment

Clayton Hotel

6th & 8th February

Reception Training

City Hotel Derry and Ten Square Hotel

27th February

Gourmet Dinner

Culloden Estate & Spa

28th February

Taste of Tourism

Culloden Estate & Spa

8th March

Housekeeping Dinner

Titanic Hotel Belfast

EDDIE MCKEEVER President

collaborating with the wider industry, we can support members through these difficult times. The Federation will be looking at several key issues and if you have any suggestions or queries, please do not hesitate to contact the either myself or the office team.

I thank you for your support to date and hope that all of you will have a very Happy Christmas and that 2023 will bring continued Health, Happiness, and Prosperity to you all.

15th March

Receptionist Assessment

Clayton Hotel Belfast

29th March

Receptionist Interviews

Clayton Hotel Belfast

26th April

Receptionist Dinner

Waterfoot Hotel

10,000 HOTEL ROOMS ILLUSIVE

WE’RE STILL WAITING TO BREAK THAT MAGIC NUMBER

The accommodation sector, which includes hotels, has undergo a seismic shift over the last decade. It’s always interesting to look at back at market predictions, expansion and trends and see what came to fruition.

The last major period of expansion in the hotel sector was between 2016 and 2018. In December 2016 thirteen new hotels came to market and seven major expansion programmes were completed. In January 2016 there were 37 projects in the public domain with a few others under the radar or still at early concept stage. Looking at what came to market paints an interesting picture.

In January 2016, there were 135 hotels comprising 7,823 bedrooms with 50% of hotel stock in the greater Belfast area. In the city, of the 11 projects mooted to come to market, 11 of these have opened as a new property or an extension of an existing hotel business. They have added 1,225 rooms to the city’s room stock with nine being developed by an operator already in the marketplace. The longerterm projects set out in 2016 (bar two) have not progressed. Some remain live, others have been developed as offices or alternative accommodation and some remain in limbo. Despite interest in the city being strong, serious questions remain about expansion as we head towards economic uncertainty and fiscal turbulence.

Derry-Londonderry has had several notable openings, The Holiday Inn

Express, The Shipquay Hotel and Bishop’s Gate. In June 2023, The Ebrington Hotel is planning to open with ninety-one rooms in its first phase. A good hit rate for the city, which will have seen room stock grow by 41% since 2016. However, the most interesting region is the North Coast were demand soared after The Open in 2019 but little progress has been made in terms of major new openings. The accommodation sector remains dominated by self-catering products with over 1,000 premises certified in 2019-20 timeframe. Two new hotels have opened, and one has expanded. Other projects have languished in planning or simply failed to proceed beyond initial concepts. As the 2025 Open looms, the question is whether anything will make it over the line as the golfing fraternity tees up for another world-class event. Market intelligence suggests that two new hotels should be in market by 2023 but the planning obstacle remains a real barrier to any considerable growth.

The expansion landscape is patchy throughout the remainder of Northern Ireland. Killeavy Castle Estate opened along with Hillyard House in the Mourne region. Bangor got a Premier Inn who have also expanded their Lisburn property. With finance constricting, construction costs spiralling and progress proving very slow, it would appear that bedroom numbers are not likely to break the 10,000 mark until after 2024. This will give the sector time to stabilise and fully recuperate from the fallout of the pandemic.

JANICE GAULT Chief Executive

The main takeaways from the expansion story are that in the main its local operators who are already in market that are opening new hotels. Market forces are changing with some projects moving over to serviced accommodation or mixed use residential. Planning is a real barrier with finance and growing costs adding to the challenge. The pandemic impacted growth but it has not gone away, it may be slower or see new products in the mix but in the medium term investing in hotels remains an attractive prospect for those who have seen the market recover well with good post pandemic trading.

OLD INN

»The Old Inn in Crawfordsburn opened its new outdoor spa in December following a £2.5m investment by owners, the Galgorm Collection.

NIHF MEMBER NEWS

BURRENDALE HOTEL

The Burrendale Hotel has completed a major refurbishment on 26 of its 68 bedrooms. Consulting with interior designer Helen Moffatt “Wilberry Hall” on the look and feel of each newly refurbished room, the bedrooms have a classic, contemporary finish.

Consideration was given to reducing waste by recovering existing chairs and sofas and re-using curtain poles.

The Belfast couple had planned to marry in 2023 after Alex proposed last year on Rosslare Strand. While he had hoped to whisk Laura away, lockdown meant a proposal closer to home. The location proved perfect. Laura said ‘We spent many family holidays there. It’s my favourite place in the world.’

Laura added ‘I couldn’t believe it when it was announced that we had won. We were shocked and excited. It was all a bit of a whirlwind and we had to get planning but it all came together.’

KILLEAVY CASTLE ESTATE

Following an AA Awards secret inspection to Killeavy Castle Estate, the venue has just been named an AA four-star hotel in recognition of the exemplary offering at the Estate. Following its first AA inspection, the restaurant has been awarded two AA rosettes for ‘Culinary Excellence’, further acknowledging the quality of Killeavy Castle Estate’s food and drink offering.

In just four short years, Killeavy Castle Estate has won multiple awards including a spate of industry award wins in recent weeks. This latest recognition from the AA Awards is a testament to the strength of the team and quality that Killeavy Caste Estate strives to deliver for every guest.

Laura Daly and Alex MacDonald tied the knot a year early when they won Millbrook Lodge Hotel’s ‘Win Your Dream Day’ competition earlier this year.

MILLBROOK LODGE

Sweet citrus that transforms into sharp, fresh pink grapefruit. Green herbal notes follow from the lime leaf and sage before the bitter pith provides a clean refreshing finish.

THE HARRISON

»The latest addition to the roll call of well-known names at The Harrison is a room named after poet John Hewitt, who once lived in 45 Malone Road between 1934 and 1936, the very building that now calls itself The Harrison Chambers of Distinction.

MORE MEMBER NEWS

BUSHMILLS INN

The Bushmills Inn has been officially recognised for its outstanding customer service at the Licenced and Catering News (LCN) awards. Pictured left to right are: Nikki Picken, Sales and Marketing Manager; Harry Neill, Bartender; Jordan Stewart, Assistant Front Office Manager; Steven Campbell, Bartender; Kelly Neill, Assistant Hotel Manager; Billie Thompson, Waitress; Christina McLaughlin, Head Housekeeper; Julien Linkenheld, Sous Chef; and Lauren McKee, Housekeeper.

Hotel manager, Alan Walls, said, “I’m delighted that our committed, hardworking team has been richly rewarded for their efforts by being recognised for their outstanding customer service.”

Two properties in the Hastings Hotels collection have been recognised in the Condé Nast Traveller’s 2022 Readers’ Choice Awards.

The Stormont Hotel and Ballygally Castle are the only hotels in Northern Ireland to be included in the prestigious list which is based on the experiences of over 240,000 Condé Nast readers from around the world who shared their recent travel knowledge of the world’s top hotels, resorts, cities, countries, islands, spas, airlines and cruises.

James McGinn, Managing Director said, “These prestigious accolades are testament to the hard work and dedication of our teams who ensure we provide guests with a first-class service and an enjoyable stay every time.”

BISHOP’S GATE HOTEL

Bishop’s Gate Hotel has won Northern Ireland’s ‘Best Hotel’ category at the inaugural Giant Spirit Awards hosted by Tourism NI.

Loved for its personal service and stunning Edwardian interior, as well as its delectable restaurant offering, the hotel was one of 13 winners on the night of the event, which was previously named the Northern Ireland Tourism Awards.

Ciaran O’Neill, Managing Director of Bishop’s Gate said: “It’s an honour for us to win this title as it represents and rewards excellence, best practice and innovation and that’s what we strive to offer at Bishop’s Gate.

BALLYGALLY & STORMONT

RISING STARS AWARDED

NEW FEDERATION AWARDS TO RECOGNISE TALENT WITHIN INDUSTRY

The Rising Star Awards for 2022 were made at a special lunch at Hospitality Exchange in October.

The winners were nominated by hotels

and accommodation providers and each nomination assessed by three independent judges. Congratulations to all of them.

The Rising Stars in alphabetical company order:

1. David McMullan, Food & Beverage Manager, Best Western Plus White Horse Hotel, Derry-Londonderry

2. Katie Beaton, Assistant Conference & Banqueting Manager, Bishop’s Gate Hotel, Derry-Londonderry

3. Pedro Silva, Restaurant Manager, Bullitt Hotel, Belfast

4. Seamus Morgan, Bar Manager, Canal Court Hotel, Newry

5. Yasmine Peacock, Front Office Shift Leader, Fitzwilliam Hotel, Belfast

6. Helen Carton, Supervisor, Fullerton Arms, Ballintoy

7. Megan Wright, Group Revenue Manager, Galgorm Collection, Ballymena

8. Matthew McRoberts, Digital Marketing Manager, Hastings Hotel Group

9. Jordan Sloan, Assistant Bar Manager, Titanic Hotel, Belfast

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NEW TNI SPRING MARKETING

The Federation has just launched recruitment for its 18th campaign partnership with Tourism Northern Ireland.

Claims for Autumn 2022 are still coming in but we are already looking forward to Spring 2023 and eligible businesses can apply now for funding.

The campaign will run from 30th January to 31st March 2023 and will

offer up to 50% funding for marketing activity across the island of Ireland during that period.

As always, the campaign is open to all hotels, guesthouses, guest accommodation, self-catering, B&Bs and visitor attractions graded by Tourism Northern Ireland. It is also open to certain experience providers and full details can be found on our website at nihf.co.uk.

MINIMUM WAGE RISING BY 9.7%

NEW TOP RATE OF £10.42 WILL COME INTO FORCE ON 1ST APRIL 2023.

As part of the Autumn statement, the Government has announced the rates of the National Living Wage (NLW) and National Minimum Wage (NMW) will rise to £10.42 for those over the age of 23 and will come into force from April 2023.

The NIHF met with the LPC in August of this year expressing concerns about regional differential, little consideration being given to benefits that the hotel sector offers and the implications for a sector under considerable cost pressure.

However, the Government accepted the LPC’s recommendations in full.

One other notable change is the increase in the Accommodation Offset which is an allowable deduction from wages for accommodation, applicable for each day of the week. In April 2023 it will increase to £9.10 per day.

The Government’s remit to the LPC this year acknowledged the LPC’s intention to review the operation of the Accommodation Offset. The findings

NMW RATES 2023

and recommendations of this review will be published shortly.

The LPC’s full annual report, containing the detailed evidence informing Commissioners’ deliberations, will be published later in the year.

COCA-COLA

» Coca-Cola HBC NI has launched its latest Designated Driver campaign for Northern Ireland. Designated Drivers can this year not only enjoy a free soft drinks, but also free parking and a full car valet at Q-Park Car Parks, thanks to Coca-Cola.

They can avail of the two free soft drinks from the CocaCola range by simply making themselves known to bar staff at participating venues.

BELMORE COURT

EV CHARGING POINTS EXPAND

Weev has partnered with Belmore Court & Motel, Enniskillen to provide five new public charging stations at the venue including a 24kW DC unit. The new chargers form part of the company’s £20 million investment in a new public EV charging network, which will see 1,500 new charging points installed over 350 locations across Northern Ireland before the end of 2024.

Terry McCartney, Manager at Belmore Court & Motel said, “12 years after providing our first charging station it is great to be able to offer to guests much more certainty about the availability of chargers with a choice of five.”

TITANIC HOTEL

MULTIPLE AWARDS

HASTINGS HOTELS

NEW DIRECTORS APPOINTED

Hastings Hotels has announced three new Director positions – including a new member to the Board of Directors.

Aileen Martin becomes Group Commercial Director, Archana

Dharni has been appointed as Marketing Director and Eoin McGrath, who previously held the position of Luxury Sales Manager, has been promoted to Assistant Sales Director.

Titanic Hotel Belfast is celebrating bringing home five awards from the Irish Hotel Awards in Athlone. The icing on the cake was winning the top all-island award for Hotel Restaurant of the Year, for the third year in a row, beating off the winners in the Munster, Leinster and Connacht categories.

Nigel Mannion, Executive Chef at Titanic Hotel Belfast, was recognised for his culinary expertise in the Chef of the Year, Ulster category.

The twenty-third Hospitality Exchange saw a welcome return to in person meeting and networking which gave the hotel, tourism, and wider hospitality an opportunity to connect and catch up.

The event kicked off with a chef dinner hosted by Pamela Ballantine in the Merchant hotel where Spanish chef, José Pizarro spoke passionately about his love of food, family, and the joy of dining together. He joined the conference line-up the following day on a panel discussing culinary trends: Michelin v Microwave, a lively discussion with chef Noel McMeel and food critic, Joris Minne.

People were one of the key topics at this year’s event with speaker Davina Saint outlining the importance of work life balance, the ever-entertaining Dr Paul Redmond explained why we shouldn’t be afraid of Zombies and an industry and education panel discussed new initiatives, skills solutions and opportunities, guided by compere Tim Browne. The ladies from Bird in a Tree provided helpful tips on self-care, welcomed by an audience with a growing interest in well-being.

Wednesday kicked off with the Business Breakfast; great data and performance figures from Sarah Duignan, cost control with Michael Williamson and a snapshot of sales and valuations with a focus on Northern Ireland from Neal Morrison.

The morning continued with an industry outlook overseen by Mark Simpson who spoke with Niall Gibbons and John McGrillen about the future of the sector and their thoughts on post pandemic trading. Pól Ó Conghaile outlined the growing importance of Staycations and how to maintain interest from the domestic market. Caroline Dunlea spoke about digital dilemmas and why embracing technology provides a great opportunity to connect and personalise the guest experience.

The morning session ended with an expert panel drawn from across the sector which included, Judith Owens wearing her NITA hat and bringing insights from Titanic Belfast, Steve Frazier from City of Derry Airport with a regional viewpoint and economist Andrew Webb who was slightly less optimistic but recognised the resilience and passion that the sector has shown.

Crowne Plaza Belfast

Lunch was a love story! We were delighted to welcome Mick Boyle, the visionary behind Killeavy Castle Estate to the speaker lunch to talk about the restoration of the castle, the challenging journey from acquisition to opening and his commitment to a sustainable future. An amazing account of delivering a dream and an inspiration to all.

The best way to end an event is with a party. The Gala Ball was back in full swing with music and dancing, karaoke in the bar and a fantastic five course dinner. A late night with lots of craic and a fitting end to Hospitality Exchange 2022!

Microwave v Michelin Panel - Tim Browne (compere) Joris Minne (Food Critic), with chefs Noel McMeel & José Pizarro

Minister for the Economy, Gordon Lyons MLA speaking at the Rising Stars lunch

Denyse Campbell (IHF President) Roisin McKee (HATS & People 1st) & Davina Saint (speaker)

Industry Panel - Pol O’Conghaile (Travel Journalist), Andrew Webb (Economist, Grant Thornton), Steve Frazier (CODA), John McGrillen (TNI), Judith Owens (Titanic Belfast), Caroline Dunlea (Core Optimisation), Niall Gibbons (TI)

Mark Simpson (compere), Chris Stock (Percipient), Seamus McGuckin (AIB), Eddie McKeever (NIHF President), Michael Williamson (ASM) & Neal Morrision (Savills)

Eddie McKeever (NIHF President), Robin & Mick Boyle (Killeavy Castle Estate) & Chris Ross (McKees)

Sarah Duigan (STR)

The McKeever Hotel Group

Bunzl Rafferty & Guests

Beannchor

Andras House

Christopher Brooke (Chair Tourism Ireland) with Angela Jackson, Claire Hulbert & Stewart Matthews from the Department of the Economy

Coca-Cola HBC NI & Guests

Terry McCartney (Belmore Court & Motel), Ellvena Graham (TNI Chair), Nicky Cassidy (NIHF Board & Cassidy Hospitality Group)

Hastings Hotels

thAnks

The companies below have kindly provided sponsorship and support to Hospitality Exchange.

NEW AWARDS

HOUSEKEEPING AWARDS BACK IN 2023 WITH A NEW BRAND AND NEW FORMAT

The last time we held the Housekeeping Awards was in March 2020, mere days before we were all locked down by a certain pandemic.

Three long years later and they are back! The Housekeeping Awards 2023 will take place this Spring with a new brand and a new format. Some things will remain familiar - teams of two housekeepers will compete in a series of practical challenges to determine a shortlist of finalists. Each finalist will then be visited by a housekeeping professional to assess procedures and cleanliness at the premises.

This is a great opportunity for Members to recognise an often overlooked department and demonstrate the professionalism of every housekeeper in keeping our business moving every day.

Full entry details will be sent to every Member but here are the all important dates:

Friday 20th January 2023

Closing date for online entries

Wednesday 1st February 2023

Assessment Day in Clayton Hotel

Wednesday 8th March 2023

Awards Dinner in Titanic Hotel Belfast

You can find out more now at nihf.co.uk.

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HOUSEKEEPING TRAINING COURSES

PROFESSIONAL HOUSEKEEPING OPERATIONS

17TH JANUARY 2023

The NIHF, in conjunction with Hallmark Training, has created a oneday programme for Housekeeping Attendants. The aim of this introductory programme is to help newly recruited house assistants/room attendants develop best practice in servicing hotel accommodation:

• Recognise the importance of the accommodation department & its contribution to the bottom line

• State what is expected of them as house assistants/room attendants

• Describe the main principles & practices of cleaning

• Explain the importance of standards

• Be better able to clean hotel accommodation to the standards required

The content has been created with a practical approach designed to give a good grounding to front line staff within the housekeeping function, to highlight the importance of their role and to instil best practice principles.

hoUsekeeping operAtions

Maldron Hotel Belfast

Tuesday 17th January 2023

09.30 -16.00

This course costs £75 + VAT per person. Places are very limited to ensure that everyone benefits from the training. You can book online now via nihf.co.uk.

PROFESSIONAL HOUSEKEEPING SUPERVISION

18TH JANUARY 2023

The NIHF, in conjunction with Hallmark Training, has created a one-day training programme for Supervisors and those who wish to progress to that level within the housekeeping department. The aim of the programme is to help newly recruited supervisors make the leap from staff member to supervisor:

• Recognise the importance of the accommodation department & its contribution to the bottom line

• State what is expected of them as supervisors by managers and

colleagues

• Explain the importance of standards

• Be better able to check room standards

The content has been created with a practical approach designed to give the principles of supervision within the housekeeping/accommodation department, highlighting the importance of the department within a hotel operation and the skills required to manage operational staff.

hoUsekeeping sUpervision

Maldron Hotel Belfast

Wednesday 18th January 2023

09.30 -16.00

This course costs £75 + VAT per person. Places are very limited to ensure that everyone benefits from the training.

You can book online now via nihf.co.uk.

Each course will be delivered by Mary Hall who has significant practical experience working directly in the tourism industry prior to and throughout her career in Fáilte Ireland.

Mary Hall, Hallmark Training

MEMBER LUNCH

DUNADRY EVENT SET US UP FOR CHRISTMAS

Members gathered in the Dunadry Hotel and Gardens on the last day of November for a member lunch. The Federation presented a cheque for £3,490 to the MS Society, representing the money generously raised by diners at the Hospitality Exchange Gala Ball.

Ellvena Graham, Chair of Tourism NI, set out her thoughts and vision for the industry over the next few years and the Dunadry served a delicious lunch, rounded off by miniature mince pies to get everyone in the Christmas spirit.

Eddie McKeever with Ellvena Graham (Tourism NI)

Jason Foody (Killeavy Castle Estate) and Jim Creaney (Linencare)

Eddie McKeever (President) presents cheque to Iain Crosbie (MS Society NI Council) and Heather Gott (Senior Community Fundraiser MS Society NI)

Beth Greenan (Galgorm), Catherine McKeever (McKeever Hotels), Lynsey Gordon (The Rabbit) and Vicky Green (Andras House)

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Webb Wonders

Musings from the Federation’s Economic Advisor

AMERICAN DREAM?

At the recent, and always excellent, Hospitality Exchange event I left with a sense that my somewhat downbeat view on the economy was out of step with the hospitality sector. ‘Bullish’ might be over-playing the mood a little but it was certainly a more hopeful atmosphere than I expected to find. To be clear, any sense of the sector being more upbeat is not to suggest for a second any lack of awareness of the exceptionally difficult trading environment we find ourselves in. The concerns over rapidly increasing energy and food supply costs are being acutely felt, as are the staff shortages that much of the sector is experiencing.

The sense of hope is no doubt based on bed occupancy rates averaging 62% over the three months to August, which is just one percentage point off the 2019 level and starts to see the pandemic move into the rear view mirror. I’m also told that bookings over autumn and winter are going well. Certainly the events calendar has been busy this autumn as the business world embraces the opportunity to host in-person events with gusto.

So the summer and autumn/winter has injected some much needed hope back into the hospitality sector but what might 2023 have in store? As we know, inflation has held a firm grip on the economic narrative this past 18 months or so. At first, all that pent-up demand being released back into the economy caused prices to rise but then the Russian invasion of Ukraine led to a much worse inflation picture. Energy prices and, more recently, food prices have really accelerated. Inflation will loosen its grip in 2023 as government supports on energy and large monthly rises start to fall out of the rolling 12 month inflation measure kick in. In fact, the latest projections from the Bank of England, albeit they are suggesting a long recession, do see inflation falling away relatively rapidly over 2023.

While the prospect of inflation loosening its grip provides some hope, a much brighter prospect for 2023 is the potential to attract many, many Americans to these shores. Another key feature of the economic story over the past year has been the weak pound. In truth,

apart from the ill-fated dabble with ‘Trussonomics’ which saw the pound tumble dramatically, the currency story is more accurately one of a strong dollar. Year to date, the dollar is up almost 12% against the pound. This is potentially great news for the hospitality sector, especially when married with a very strong appetite to travel from the US. I’ve seen the results of several surveys that all show a very strong ‘intention to travel’ among US respondents. One that caught my eye was a survey that noted how two-thirds have a desire for ‘revenge travel’ – defined as wanting to travel more after feeling they have missed out on experiences due to the pandemic.

That’s a mood that we in NI need to tap into. If we can attract a large contingent of US travellers here next year, the future might be brighter than I expect.

ANDREW WEBB ON REVENGE TRAVEL AND HOW TO UTILISE A WEAK POUND

HATS NETWORK

WORK CONTINUES TO PROMOTE HOSPITALITY CAREERS

As businesses continue to face intense competition to recruit and retain talent, the Hospitality and Tourism Skills (HATS) Network is working with partners on a collective ambition to grow a sustainable talent pipeline and transform the industry reputation to a place that people of all ages aspire to work in. Some recent highlights from activity spearheaded by the HATS Network include:

• An 8-episode on-demand Recruitment & Retention Webinar Series featuring industry experts launched to share best practices in recruitment & retention. To complement the series a toolkit is also available covering key webinar takeaways.

• Skills Funding and Employer Recruitment Guides updated with the latest information to help sector businesses access the range of support programmes and services available to recruit and retain the right talent.

• 20 fully funded places secured for future leaders on a pilot Hospitality & Tourism Team Leader programme designed to motivate and develop top talent and respond to the current

challenges facing the sector. The eight-week online programme provided new skills, insights, tools and techniques to team leaders and supervisors to empower them to get the best performance from their team.

• A new Hospitality Apprenticeship Guide launched to promote apprenticeship pathways and opportunities to schools and inspire young people to actively consider apprenticeships as a viable entry route and career option. Featuring a range of successful apprentice stories, the guide also signposts directly to employers offering apprenticeship opportunities.

• A sector collaboration showcased hospitality and tourism careers at the School Summit NI on 3 and 4 October at the EIKON Centre. Industry partners including Galgorm Collection, Titanic Belfast, Beannchor Group, Hillsborough Castle, Fitzwilliam Hotel Belfast, W5, Hastings Hotels, Northern Ireland and National Museums NI joined us along with Tourism Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland Hotels Federation and Springboard

to inspire potential future talent to consider a career in the industry.

• Engagement with representatives from the Labour Market Partnership network to explore sectoral collaboration opportunities to help attract and develop people to entry level positions has resulted in an initial pilot Housekeeping Academy being planned for Belfast in December.

• 28 career testimonial videos produced showcasing a variety of roles to inspire jobseekers to actively consider a career in the industry.

• Best practice shared at key partners events (‘People Power’ at Hospitality Exchange and Tourism NI Perceptions Research Insight) to explore the challenges and provide inspiration on what employers can do differently to attract and retain and make hospitality a great place to work.

• Sector skills challenges and solutions presented to the Department for Economy Minister in conjunction with the NI Tourism Alliance to help leverage demand-led skills solutions.

Our focus for 2023 will be progressing partnerships across industry, government and education to drive greater impact and deliver on our objectives to attract, build and retain a sustainable workforce.

To find out more about HATS and sign up for updates visit www.hatsnetwork.co.uk

The HATS network project is supported by Invest Northern Ireland under its Collaborative Growth Programme.

PROFESSIONAL TRAINING COURSES

JANUARY AND FEBRUARY 2023

professionAl

hoUsekeeping

trAining

Maldron Hotel Belfast

Tue 17th and Wed 18th January 2023

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receptionist

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City Hotel Derry

Monday 6th February 2023

Ten Square Hotel

Wednesday 8th February 2023

Book online at nihf.co.uk

NORTHERN IRELAND HOTELS FEDERATION

LICENSING CHANGES

SUMMARY OF RECENT CHANGES TO THE LICENSING ORDER

There have been several changes to licensing over the last few years. The Licensing and Registration of Clubs (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2021 became law on 26th August 2021.

The changes which came into effect from 1st October 2021 and over the next few years are summarised in the Schedule to the Act and are:

1. Removal of additional restrictions at Easter.

The hours for selling alcohol will now be the same at the Easter weekend as every other weekend.

2. Removal of restrictions on late Sunday opening for alcohol sales. Alcohol can now be sold to the same time on Sunday evenings as every other night.

3. Additional hours for pubs and hotels.

a. They can apply to have extended opening hours (until 2am) up to 104 nights per year.

b. This may be done under the process of Article 44 of the Licensing Order (this can be a stand-alone application to the Magistrate’s Court if additional hours order already in place).

c. They must publish the application notice in 2 newspapers (2-6 weeks prior) and display it on/near the premises (3 weeks prior).

d. Must offer either:

i. Musical or other entertainment

ii. Substantial refreshment

iii. Both

4. Closing time for liquor and entertainment.

Entertainment must end at/before the end of drinking-up time (so cannot extend beyond 3am).

5. Extension of Drinking-up time. The new law will extend the current drinking up time from thirty minutes to one hour after the end

of alcohol sales (and entertainment must stop at the end of drinking up time so that is 2am with the current Article 44 Order and 3am when the new Article 44 is granted).

6. Prohibition on sale of alcohol by self-service by dispenser and vending machines.

Sale of alcohol by self-service where the purchaser (or someone they are with) operates the dispenser, and by vending machines, for consumption either in or off the premises is now prohibited. This extends to honesty boxes. Sales of alcohol must be made under the supervision of the Licence holder or a member of their staff and failure to comply can carry a fine of up to £1000.

7. Angostura bitters. These will no longer be exempt from the alcohol rules.

8. Removal of Requirement for A Children’s Certificate.

There will no longer be a requirement for licensed premises to hold a Children’s Certificate if they wish for under 18s to be allowed in the licensed areas of the premises. Under 18s may remain in a part of a licensed premises after 9.00pm if they are at a private function, are with a parent, a main course is being served, and they do not eat at the bar.

9. Underage Functions.

Licensed premises to include a pub, an hotel, a restaurant, a conference centre, a higher education institution, an indoor arena, and an outdoor stadium must now apply for a suitability order to hold certain functions for under 18s. They must adhere to the following conditions:

1. The part of the premises for the function must be suitable (ie structurally adapted) for functions

2. Appropriate steps must be taken to secure the safety of under 18s

attending the underage function in that part of the hotel and that it is otherwise suitable for underage functions

3. Suitable arrangements must be in place to prevent access for under 18s to other parts of the hotel which are used for the sale of alcohol

Once the suitability order has been granted, an application is then required to the Magistrate’s Court for an authorisation for each underage function for the area of the hotel the subject of the suitability order.

Sales or allowing consumption of alcohol in the area where the underage function is taking place will not be permitted to anyone aged 18 or over during the time of the underage function.

Under 18s will be allowed to attend the function to 1am and up to 1.30am following the function.

Practical advice to members:

• Serve application for additional hours.

• Check the terms of your entertainments licence.

For further information on the legal services offered by McKees go to mckeeslaw.com or call 028 9023 2303.

LINUS MURRAY McKees

Make a positive change with our personalised range

Do you want to increase brand awareness?

Well you’re in the right place, especially if you’re working with a limited budget, but need to stand out from your competitors. Aside from traditional advertising, we help you put your brand name on everybody’s lips.

Personalised merchandise is a great place to start. We figured the aim is to put yourself at the forefront of your guests’ minds, before, after and during their stay. So, getting creative could be the way to go. With careful planning and some creativity from us you won’t have to worry; we can help you stand out from the competition. We have all the tools you need to produce beautiful and elegant products for your Hotels or B&B’s with your own brand personalisation that will be cut above the rest.

We can personalise most products that we have available from bathrobes, toiletries, coasters, menus to sweets, chocolates, entrance mats, umbrellas and much more.

An array of design possibilities to enhance your brand identity, ultimately leading to customer recognition, the perception of your brand and the image you wish to portray.

Our experienced team of sales consultants and in-house graphic designers will consult with you to create a line tailored to your needs. We will endeavour to fulfil your needs regardless of the request and will incorporate all elements required for your product to be a step ahead.

2023 Spring marketing opportunities

Helping promote your tourism business.

Tourism Northern Ireland is providing industry support to help with the marketing of tourism businesses.

It will deliver a range of digital and other advertising. The Northern Ireland Hotels Federation will assist the industry in supporting this activity and securing direct business.

There are two different ways you can get involved in this campaign, outlined to the right.

The campaign will take place from 30th January to 31st March 2023. The closing date for entries is 9th January 2023 and further information is available at nihf.co.uk.

1 Online Promotion and Offers

2 Co-operative Marketing Fund